


Tea For Two

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2020-12-31 08:04:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 24,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21124301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: Erin is given some good advice from Penelope when it comes to making some headway with Alex. But with the Replicator looming over them, will a renewed friendship be enough to stop what he has planned?





	1. Chapter 1

"She has a preferred type of tea, Ma'am."

Erin looked up from the file she had been staring at, not having enough time to brush away the few tears that lingered on her eyelashes. Ms Garcia didn't comment on that sight, though, instead giving her a tiny, gentle, smile as she took a seat in front of her desk. "I'm sorry?" she asked before clearing her throat in an effort to get rid of the lingering tears.

"Agent Blake. She prefers to drink Harney and Sons tea. I haven't sussed out what her favorite blend is yet, since I've only interacted with her twice now, but I thought that that was something you might want to know."

Erin pursed her lips as she struggled not to glower at the younger woman. "Why would you think that would be important to me, Ms Garcia?"

The woman blinked a few times, but her smile never faltered, and Erin had to give her credit for that, since she knew that she could be intimidating at times. "May I speak freely?" She nodded, and watched Ms Garcia take a deep breath before she looked up into her eyes. "You know about my history, what I did before I was recruited to the FBI. Well, before the team left, I couldn't help but notice that there was some tension between you and Agent Blake. So I did a little digging, since that's what I'm good at, and found out a little of the history between you. And then, earlier tonight, you again tried to reach out to her. I know that the whole making amends thing is so difficult, because it requires you to swallow your pride and hope that the other person will accept that olive branch."

"That it does, Ms Garcia."

"Please, call me Penelope, or Garcia, or something informal. I mean, we danced together at Jayje's wedding, I think you're allowed to be informal with me now."

Erin dipped her chin a little. "We all danced with each other that night."

"I vaguely remember that, yes. I may have drank your entire portion of alcohol, though, in order to forget that Kevin brought his new girlfriend to said wedding, and that makes some recollections hazy. But this isn't about me, and I am totally derailing the conversation, I'm sorry. You need a way to soften Blake's attitude towards you, and since the forthright approach isn't working like you'd like, you need a different plan of attack."

She let out a little chuckle as she swiped beneath her eyes, feeling free enough to do that around…Penelope. "I didn't want our dirty laundry to be aired for all and sundry. I'm certain that in your digging you discovered the root of her very valid animosity towards me?" Penelope nodded. "It's not something I'm proud of, but I didn't support her. And she paid a heavy price. Maybe if I had tried harder before now, there wouldn't be this animosity between us, but it's there. So, do you truly think that I could perhaps soften things between us with something as simple as tea?"

"I really do. I'll even make it easy for you."

"How's that?"

Penelope's small smile morphed into a Cheshire grin as she leaned forward and took hold of her hand, squeezing it tightly. "I will text you when the team is about to land, so that you can put that perfect cup of tea on her desk, ready for her to take it home. I'll also let you know what time she usually arrives, if you want to switch things up a little. I'd start with a neutral blend, like Earl Grey, and move on from there. And if you don't like tea, I'll take the extras."

There really was something about the idea that Penelope was planting in her head that Erin found comforting, and she gave the woman a small nod. "I suppose that that might just work, Penelope. But I have to ask. Why would you want to help me? I've never been the nicest to you or your team."

She tried not to wince when Penelope's hand tightened around hers, as if the other woman was afraid that Erin would pull it away. "Because I watched as you clawed and pulled your way back up from your disease. You are _far_ stronger than you realise, and it was so inspiring to see you step up and be the leader that you were born to be during the bank heist case. I don't want to see something like this derail that progress, Erin. Sorry, Ma'am."

Erin blinked back tears as she nodded, returning the affectionate squeeze to Penelope's hand before letting out a huff of breath. "I'd forgotten what it's like to have a friendly face at work. And don't even try to bring up David. What we share is more complicated than friendship."

"You love him, that's not so complicated." Another, more watery, chuckle slipped from between her lips as she nodded. "And don't worry, I won't spill your little secret. The two of you deserve your privacy and space. I just want to be involved in the wedding, when it happens."

"I'm glad someone is so certain that this is going to last. I'm just taking it one day at a time."

"All right, you be the in the moment woman, and I'll be the optimistic, rose colored glasses, girl who encourages you in the background." A wide yawn split her lips, and Erin felt herself copy the expression. "And that, that tells me that I need to get out of here and get some real sleep. I know, there are always more cases to solve, but…do you think you could text Hotch and have him ground the team for a day? This jetlag is a real bitch."

"Oh, that's right, you and Agent Morgan are just back from London. Of course, I'll see what I can do, but I can also have Mister Lynch cover you tomorrow. Either way, take a rest day." Penelope smiled, giving her hand one last squeeze before she got to her feet and went over to the door. "Oh, and thank you. I appreciate the advice."

"You're most welcome, Erin. Have a good evening."

Erin nodded absently as she watched the woman leave, a slight bounce to her step. There was something so nice about the entire conversation that Erin felt like she was beaming, even though her face was still composed in a light smile. As soon as she heard the door to her outer office close, Erin picked up her phone and dialed Aaron's office. "Erin? What are you still doing here?"

"I had some paperwork to finish, and there are still some proprieties that should be observed. But the reason I'm calling is I have a request for you to pass on to your team. Make it sound like it came from you, please. I want you all to take tomorrow off, to rest and recuperate. Especially since Agent Morgan and Ms Garcia literally stepped off the plane and right into a new case. I need my best team at their best."  
"You don't need to tell me twice, Erin. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll see you all the day after tomorrow." She hung up before he could say goodbye, and then she took a deep breath as she turned to her computer and brought up Google, seeing if there was anywhere that she could buy Harney and Sons tea locally. Frowning a little at her inability to find a shop near her, she added an assortment of blends to her cart along with a rather expensive loose leaf giftset and checked out, choosing expedited shipping so that the package would arrive more quickly. "I just hope that you're right, Penelope," she whispered as she turned off her computer and then packed up her things to head over to David's house.

As she stepped into the elevator, her phone buzzed against her leg, and she pulled it out to see that she had new messages from David and Penelope. Looking up as the doors closed, she saw Alex watching her, and she couldn't help but raise her hand and wave at her a little, knowing that she wouldn't get a wave in return. Still, it was almost comforting to see that Alex wasn't glaring at her in response, and she sighed as the doors slid closed and she started down.

It was easy to answer David's text, letting him know that she was on her way home and would be there within the half hour. Penelope's took a little longer to answer, as she decided to add her to her contact list, so that she would be certain to know it was her, rather than guessing from contextual clues. _I ordered the tea, yes, and it will be here Monday. Until then, I'll just stop at my coffee shop and get her something until it arrives. But how did you get my personal number? No, wait, let me guess. You looked it up?_

It didn't take long for Penelope to answer her. _Guilty as charged. I hope you don't mind, but I like keeping that information for all of us close at hand. I've had too many people close to me end up missing to not be able to contact anyone at a moment's notice. Have a good evening with Rossi, and don't let our Italian Stallion wear you out too much!_

Erin rolled her eyes a little, finally understanding what Aaron had meant when he had written in Penelope's evaluations that she meant well, but could be a little much when it came to personal boundaries with her team. Still, there was something endearing about knowing that there was at least one person at the office who cared about her as a friend, and she knew that David would be so happy to hear that she had taken his advice and allowed herself to be vulnerable. It still wasn't completely comfortable, but she knew that it might come with time. And hopefully, so too would her relationship with Alex. But that might only come with time, so she had to remain patient and allow the process to play out as naturally as it could.


	2. Chapter 2

_The team just landed. If you want to get Blake a tea, I would head out now. And maybe call ahead so that it's ready when you arrive? Anyway, I hope that you had a good day, and I really want to schedule a lunch date at your earliest convenience. I know, it's probably impertinent of me, but you are going to be my friend, come hell or high water._

Erin chuckled as she scrolled through her phone, looking for the number of her coffee shop. It didn't take long to order two large London fog teas, deciding that she would like to have a drink as well. Once that was squared away, she picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder as she made her way to the elevators. Stepping into the next open car, Erin tapped out a reply to Penelope, telling her that she was on her way, and thanking her for the intel.

Suddenly, she was overwhelmingly grateful for the fact that the coffee shop was so close by, since that meant she could get there and back with little fuss. Which was a good thing, since there was quite a long line for that time of day, and she had to fight her urge to tap her foot, knowing that wouldn't help anything. Still, she couldn't help but check her phone numerous times as she made her way to the front of the line, looking for a message from Penelope telling her that she was too late, and the team had already arrived. When that hadn't happened by the time she had paid, Erin let out a small sigh of relief, making certain to add a few dollars to the tip jar before picking up the cups and heading back to the BAU.

A nervous energy filled her stomach the moment she stepped into the building, and it was much harder to not tap her foot against the floor of the elevator as she rode up to the sixth floor. The moment she stepped out of the elevator, her phone vibrated against her thigh, and she managed to get both cups into one hand before taking a look at who had messaged her. _They just pulled into the parking garage, so you had better be on your way!_

Releasing a long breath, Erin slipped into the bullpen and strode over to Alex's desk, setting the cup down next to her keyboard before making her way up to Penelope's office, somehow certain that she would never make it back to her office without running into the team and not wanting to give herself away on her first attempt at smoothing the way between her and Alex. Quickly triple knocking on the door, she waited for Penelope to open it, her guts twisting inside her as she waited.

"Thank god you made it back before they did! Come in!" she said as she grabbed hold of Erin's free arm and ushered her inside the office. "I was getting a little worried about this. Usually, Hotch drives, but Der grabbed the keys before he could, and my Boo has a lead foot. What did you get her?"

"I ordered us both a London Fog. I was feeling in the mood for something sweet, and thought that she might be as well."

"Good choice!" She gave Penelope a small smile as she sipped from her cup, the drink slipping down her throat smoothly. "How long do you want to hide out in here?"

"Until she sits down at her desk. I can always tell anyone that I pass that we had some official business to discuss, which will give me a little cover." Penelope nodded as she guided them over to her couch, taking a seat before patting the spot next to her.

"So, what is it about a London Fog that made you choose that for the first tea?"

"She used to drink them a lot, back in the day. Plus, with your recent return from London, I can claim that you were the one who left it there, if she presses me for answers, which she is well within her right to do. There has to be a level of plausible deniability, since she won't accept anything from me at the moment."

"You really were thinking three steps ahead."

"I have to, Penelope. If I want this to work, I have to make certain that it's a small, consistent, thing. If she guesses that it's me from the outset, then there's nothing I could do later to convince her of my desire to make amends." Erin took another sip of her drink before worrying her cheek between her teeth. Penelope reached out and patted her knee tenderly., and Erin gave her a small smile as she tried to get her nerves under control.

"I think that you'll manage to get things worked out before very long."

"I truly hope that that is the case, Penelope." As she drank, Erin tried to fight off a very different sort of craving than friendship, and it pained her to see her hand shake. Penelope seemed to notice the tremors, as she curled her hand around her knee and smiled at her until she smiled back. "I'm sorry. I've made it nine months, but there are still times when I'm weak."

"No, you most definitely are not weak, Erin Strauss. This is just an aftereffect of your disease, and you are still fighting the good fight. I hate that you're struggling right now, but I know that as you accrue more and more days free from alcohol, that you'll be stronger than you ever thought you could be. Look at Reid, after all. He battled back from addiction as well, and while he's struggled, he is also stronger for the struggle."

"There is that. Do, do you think that it's safe to head to my office now? I should get a start on my day, since I have a meeting at eleven."

Penelope got to her feet and went over to the door, peeping her head outside. "I think that you're good to go. Alex is at her desk, and it looks like she's enjoying her drink, since she has that same cup in her hand and just took a sip from it. Your first mission is a success!"

Erin allowed herself a moment to smile in relief before she got to her feet and joined Penelope there. "I'll call you with an update on that case, Ms Garcia. Thank you for looking into that for me," she said as she brushed past the woman, giving a small nod to Aaron as she passed him on her way to the stairs. As she went by Alex's desk, she tried to hide the cup in her hand, not wanting her to see it. She needn't have worried, though, since the woman never looked up from the report she was working on, and Erin was both relieved and saddened.

Shaking her head at her own optimism, Erin made her way back to her office. While she did have to get ready for the meeting ahead, it seemed like all she could think about was Alex, and what she had thought when she had found that drink on her desk. And while she knew that she might never find out, Erin still hoped that there would be some thawing of the ice between them as a result of the gesture, and the ones to come. She had worked too hard in recovery to not hope for some sort of reconciliation between them.


	3. Chapter 3

"There's a rather large box waiting for you on your desk, Ma'am," Helen said as she entered her office the next day.

"Did you happen to see who it was from?" she asked as she looked through the mail that was in her inbox, seeing nothing that needed to be handled right away.

"Harney and Sons?"

A large smile spread across her face as she nodded eagerly. "Perfect! Now, I hate to ask this of you, since it is completely not in your job description, but I need an electric kettle for my office, now, and I though I chose expedited shipped, I didn't expect the package to arrive this soon."

"I would be more than willing to do that for you, if you promise that I can have one of the first cups that you make."

Erin nodded. "You drive a hard bargain, but I suppose that I can do that for you. As long as you don't mind my choosing which tea we have to christen our new kettle."

"Deal." Helen gave her a small wink as she finished typing up something. "I should be back in an hour?"

"That will work perfectly. Thank you." Helen nodded as she stood, making her way out of the office. Erin took a deep breath as she went into her own office, making a beeline for her desk and picking up her letter opener to break the seal on the box. The first thing she pulled out of the box was the tea set, and she set that aside before pulling out the different boxes she had ordered. A small blush lit up her cheeks when she realized just how much she had ordered, and Erin shook her head a little as she brought the boxes over to the coffee table, setting it on her sofa before systematically placing an assortment of the teabags into the basket she had cleared out for just that purpose.

Pulling out her phone, she quickly tapped out a question to Penelope. _They're still gone, right?_

_Yes._

_Good. I have something to drop off for Alex. Can you make certain that it stays on her desk until they get back?_

_ Of course, Erin. _

Smiling, she slipped the phone back into her pocket and went over to pick up the tea set. A tender sigh slipped from her lips as she caressed the wood, and Erin hoped that Alex would appreciate the gift, even if she didn't know where it came from. It didn't take long for her to slip into the bullpen, and she looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to her. For once, she was grateful that she had gathered a reputation for being prickly, as it seemed like everyone deliberately looked away from her as she passed them by, which worked perfectly for her needs that morning.

She stopped in front of Alex's desk and glanced at the few desks next to hers, seeing that they were either empty, or not paying attention to her. Erin pulled out Alex's chair and took a seat, looking at the cubicle to see how Alex had personalized it. Other than a picture of James above her monitor, there wasn't anything else to make the spot hers, and Erin sighed at that thought, somewhat saddened by that. "I know that you'll enjoy this, Alex," she whispered as she set the tea caddy next to her keyboard before rising to her feet and heading back to her office.

Helen still wasn't back yet, and Erin went into her office, setting two mugs on the table and then took a seat at her desk, booting up her computer so that she could get a start on her emails. She was fully engrossed in that task by the time she heard a knocking on her office door, and she looked up to see Helen and Penelope there. "I picked up a visitor, Erin. I hope you don't mind!"

She smiled as she shook her head, beckoning them inside. "I suppose that I could be obliged to have another person trying out the new tea kettle," she replied as she pushed away from her computer and rose to her feet, moving over to the sofa. "If you want to choose the tea you'd like from the basket, I'll fill the reservoir with water." She took the box from Helen's hands and set it on the table before opening it and pulling out the machine. "I'm certain one of you can find a plug for this while I'm in the break room?"

Penelope nodded as Erin took hold of the reservoir and made her way back to the bullpen. Alpha team was just stepping off the elevators as she reached the doors, and she drew in a sharp breath as she tried to act cool and collected, not wanting to let anyone know the nerves that were suddenly active in her. Holding the door for David, she gave him a small smile before making her way into the break room and starting to wash the reservoir, knowing that it had to be done before they used it. "How did things go back here while I was gone?"

Erin looked over her shoulder to give David a grin. "They went well. I decided to get a tea kettle for my office so that I can drink something delicious that won't end up with me hungover. Would you like me to bring you a mug when it's ready?"

"Oh, bella, you know that I am strictly a coffee man. Though I'm glad that you've found something to fill you with warmth until I can fill you with warmth." Erin snorted a little as the laugh she tried desperately to keep inside burrowed its way out of her body to be heard. "Too much?"

"For the workplace? Yes. But I will keep that offer in mind for tonight." He nodded as he came over to her side, pecking her cheek lightly. "I hope you don't mind that I want to be at my place tonight, but Tabitha has a golf tournament in the morning, and I don't want to let her down by missing it, and my place is closer to the golf course than yours is."

"That would be fine. Would you mind my tagging along? We probably won't have a new case until Monday, unless you're going to be a slave driver and expect us to head out tomorrow."

She turned to look at him, shaking her head a little. "No, you're home until Monday. And I expect to spend until then with you, if you're serious about going to the tournament, that is."

"I am. I love getting to know your kids better, Erin." He gave her another soft kiss, and she sighed a little as she pulled away from him to fill the reservoir. "I'll head over about five?"

"That works for me. You have the key I gave you, feel free to use it." She smiled at him as she turned the tap off. "And if you want to start supper for us, I'd love that, almost as much as I love you." It felt right to just casually say those words, knowing that they had been dancing around those words until that moment. From the look on his face, she knew that she had chosen the right time to bowl him over and she sashayed from the break room with a smirk on her lips. Alex looked up from her desk as she passed by, and she softened the smirk into a smile as their eyes met. "Good morning, Alex," she said gently, not expecting anything in return.

"Good morning, Erin." Her tone was flat, but still, it was an answer, and Erin let out a long, happy, breath as she continued on to her office, trying not to take those three small words for anything more than politeness, even though she so desperately wanted them to be more.


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you have to send them out on custodials this week, Erin?"

She looked up from her computer to see Penelope standing there, hands on her hips. "David told me that Aaron was getting a little burned out, so I thought that a week at home would be for the best for the entire team. And we need to do them at some point, Penelope. What's wrong with that?"

"There's no time for you to slip Alex some tea. She's here all the time."

"I'll just be creative tomorrow. I have to come in early for a meeting, anyway." Erin pulled her reading glasses off her face as she went over to her tea kettle and turned it on, figuring that it was as good a time as any for a fresh cup. "Did you hear if she liked the tea set I left on her desk?"

"She loved it, and thinks that I had something to do with it, since I did also start a tea of the month club for our team before I left England. Which is all well and good, but we need her to see that you're the one holding out the olive branch here, eventually."

"That will happen with time, I know. I just have to be patient."

"That's not one of my strong suites!"

Erin chuckled a little as she nodded. "Mine neither, but this really will stretch my skills. Now, there's enough water here for three cups worth of tea. I'll pick a blend for Alex, and once it's ready, we'll head up to your office, and I'll give it to her, saying that you suggested it for her."

"That could work!" Penelope plopped down onto her sofa, digging through the basket of tea before pulling out three flavors. "Give Alex the mint blend. She looks like she's a bit frustrated, and this might calm her down a little."

Erin nodded as she pulled out three fresh mugs, placing the teabags into each one as she waited for the water to reach the right temperature. "I was hoping that her transition to the team would be a little easier than it has been. I know that she's a bit abrasive, but all brilliant people have a few rough edges."

Penelope nodded as she tugged on Erin's hand, pulling her down onto the sofa as well. "I suppose that I haven't thought about it like that. She's used to leading a classroom, right?" Erin nodded. "So going back to a collaborative approach must be a large change for her. I didn't think about it that way."

"I know, you probably just thought about how her shortness with everyone is due to a bit of arrogance. And she has every right to be, since she's brilliant and at the top of her game linguistically." The ready sound went off and Erin reached out to pour the water into their mugs, taking care to remember the time so that they would steep correctly. "David has mentioned that Jennifer is particularly not meshing well."

"I think that's more from missing Emily, honestly. After all, she was the one who created Emily's new identity through the State Department, and I know that they conversed somehow while she was dead to the world at large. That bonds people, and I know that she's struggling to find her footing with Emily gone and someone who isn't her in her desk."

"I will pass that along to David, and have him help smooth things between them. He's good at being a peacemaker."

"Is that all he's good at?" the other woman teased, and Erin blushed as she looked down into her lap. "Oh, so all the rumors are true! He is a stud muffin!"

Erin burst into a fit of giggles as she nodded. "You are incorrigible!"

"Yes, but I'm also cute!" Penelope gave her a winning smile as Erin plucked the teabags from the mugs, putting them in the trash before rising to her feet and taking a deep breath. "Are you ready to head into the bullpen?"

"As I'll ever be." Penelope picked up the mugs, handing Erin her and Alex's before taking hold of her own and sipping from it. "God, this is such good tea. Better than our tea of the month, that's for sure."

"You're always welcome to make yourself a cup. Just ask Helen if I'm free when the door is closed." Penelope gave her a large smile as she nodded, one which Erin returned as they left her office and went over to the bullpen. Alex was at her desk, and Penelope made a straight line for her, whereas Erin would have meandered a bit in order to get her courage up.

"Hey, Alex! I told Erin that you like tea, so she made you a cup with her new electric kettle."

Alex narrowed her eyes a little as Erin extended her hand with the mint tea mug. "It's Harney and Sons. I really enjoy their blends," she said softly as Alex took the mug from her. There was a flicker of a smile on her lips, and Erin returned it before drawing in a small breath. "Well, I need to see David about something, so I'll leave you two to talk."

Nodding to Penelope, Erin continued up to her partner's office, heading right inside. He was on the phone, and she closed the door before taking a seat on his sofa and waiting for him to finish his conversation. "Yes, I'll try to get the first three chapters to you by the end of the week. Thankfully, we're home working on custodials, which allows me to get more work done on the manuscript. Of course, I know that time is of the essence. This isn't my first book. I will call you as soon as I'm ready with them. Good bye."

"Let me guess, your editor?" she asked before taking a sip of tea. He nodded as he got up and took a seat next to her, reaching out to rest his hand on her knee. "Well, I guess that means I'm heading over to your place for the rest of the week. I can make our meals so that you can focus on getting that accomplished."

"Ah, bella, I knew that I loved you for a very good reason." She rolled her eyes even as she smiled, and then she brought her head to rest on his shoulder, letting out a soft sigh. "So, how goes it with Alex?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's no need to sound so suspicious, Erin. I know that you want to make amends with her, and that you're using tea to do that. While she thinks that Kitten is leaving her little presents, I can recognize your touch a mile off. And I think it's really sweet that you're trying to go about it this way. Because you want to take the cautious route. Penelope would be much more flamboyant with her gifts."

She let out a soft huff of breath as she shook her head. "If I'm that obvious, then she must have figured it out as well. Is she just humoring me, then?"

David shook his head before caressing her upper leg soothingly. "I don't think she sees it yet, because she doesn't see you clearly yet. Maybe that will come with time, but who knows? You might need to come right out and tell her that you're holding out all these olive branches to her."

"When the time is right, I will. I promise." She turned her head and kissed his cheek, trying not to feel overwhelmingly nervous about the idea that Alex had figured her out already, and what that might mean to her future efforts at amends.


	5. Chapter 5

Erin rubbed her face, dislodging her glasses as she did so. It had been a long day after she had left David's office, and though Alex had given her a kinder neutral look on her way out of the bullpen, she still felt like she hadn't made any headway with her. And then meeting after meeting had occurred, and her day had gotten more and more complicated. There was nothing she could do about that, and she pulled out her phone, texting David to let him know that she would be bringing their meal home with her that evening, since she still had another hour's work to get through before she could even think about heading out.

"Long day?"

Her head shot over to her door, seeing Alex standing on the threshold, her mug cradled in her hands. "That is an understatement. But I just have to power through this last hour and I can finally head home with food. Are you heading out?"

Alex nodded as she finally stepped into her office. Erin watched her take a deep breath before coming over to her desk and holding out the mug, not quite making eye contact with her. "Thank you for the mug of tea this morning. I really appreciated the gesture."

"It was nothing, Alex. I have the electric kettle now, and it's just as easy to make tea for Penelope or you than drink a full reservoir of it in a day." A tiny smile flitted across Alex's lips, and that sight caused her heart to skip a momentary beat. "But I should let you get home. I know that custodials can take a lot out of a person."

"Yes, thank you. Um, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Perhaps, if I have to touch base with Aaron or Penelope for any reason. Have a good evening."

Another small flicker of a smile before Alex nodded. "You as well. Tell Rossi that if he needs me to, I'll look over his manuscript chapters before he sends them in to his editor. Somehow, I have the feeling that you'll be seeing him before I will."

Erin blushed as she nodded, watching Alex leave her office. As soon as the door was closed, she let out a happy sigh as she picked up the mug Alex had used. It had been thoroughly washed, which was par for the course with Alex, and Erin hugged it to her chest as she stood and made her way over to her shelf of mugs, placing it where it should be before going back to her desk and continuing to work on the report she had been told was due a full three days earlier than expected.

Somehow, she managed to get through the report in forty minutes, and after reading it over one last time, fixing the few spelling and grammatical errors she found along the way, she sent it off to the Director before saving a copy of it to her Dropbox and her Cloud drive. She had become too accustomed to having her work lost to not take those precautions, and when that was over, she powered her computer down before gathering her things and heading out the door. Thankfully, Helen had already gone home, and she smiled a little as she went over to the elevators.

Once she was in her car, Erin pulled out her phone and saw that she had a new message from David, telling her to just come home, as he'd ordered their food already. She tapped out a quick reply, apologizing for the lateness of her return to him, before starting her car and backing out of her space. The drive out to David's place didn't take so long as normal, and she pulled into her spot in the garage only thirty minutes after she left the office.

The garage door opened, and David appeared in the doorway, a soft grin on his face. She raised her hand and waved to him before climbing out of the car and making her way to his side, allowing him to wrap her up in a tight hug as he kissed the top of her head. "Let me guess, the Director wanted you to finish up a report?"

"Yes. I was supposed to have it done by Friday, but then he decided he needed it tomorrow. But enough about that, otherwise I'll become frustrated again. What did you order for us?"

"That steak you like from Il Forno. I figured that we could use a treat after the days we put in." She nodded as they went inside, allowing him to lead her into the kitchen. The food was already laid out, covered with lids, and she chuckled a little to see that he had poured her a glass of grape juice to go along with his wine. "Anything else happen today?"

Erin took a seat on one of the stools, setting the lid on her plate aside as she breathed in deeply. "Thank you for this. And…I don't want to get my hopes up, but Alex came to me before she left for the day. It was only to return the mug I'd let her use earlier, but we did have a short conversation, which was good. And she told me to tell you that if you want to send over your finished chapters to her, she'll proof them before they go to your editor."

"That would be nice," David replied as he took a seat next to her, reaching out to take hold of her hand as he said grace over the meal. "And I am glad that she spoke with you, even if it was about something as trivial as my book."

"Your writing is not trivial, darling. You're shedding light on some of the darkest cases you've worked as a profiler, and I am so proud of what you've accomplished outside the BAU." She gave him a small smile before digging into her meal, finding it delicious as usual. While they ate, David regaled her with how he had spent his day, and she found herself nodding along, adding little comments when they felt appropriate. "All right, I'll load the dishwasher and take Mudgie out if you want to head up to your office and get to work."

"As long as you bring up water for both of us when you're done, yes."

Erin nodded as David slipped off his stool and made his way to the stairs. As soon as she heard his footsteps on the stairs, Erin got up as well, bringing their plates over to the sink and rinsing them before placing them in the washer. Mudgie nudged her thigh, and Erin reached down to pet her slowly before heading to the mud room and grabbing his leash. Like the good boy he was, Mudgie sat at her feet, panting a little in excitement as he waited for her to take him out. After clipping his leash to his collar, Erin brought him outside and did a turn around the yard, allowing his to do his business before heading back into the house.

Mudgie immediately curled up in his bed as she went back into the kitchen, washing her hands before filling a pitcher of water and bringing it and two glasses up to the study. David was bent over his keyboard, furiously tapping away, and Erin smiled as she set a glass down on the coaster, filling it halfway before heading over to the sofa and curling up on it after pouring her own glass of water. "Are you making any progress?"

"Yes, and we should be ready to head to bed in two hours. I want to cuddle with you for a little while, after all."

"I'm looking forward to that, too," she replied before taking a sip of her water. "And if I happen to fall asleep here, just wake me up when you're ready." David nodded and Erin made herself a little more comfortable on the sofa, picking up the book that she was reading and diving in, grateful for more time spent with her partner.


	6. Chapter 6

Erin found herself running late, and she blamed that on the fact that David had been away from her for entirely too long, the current case they were working on having taken them to Colorado, and their need to talk to each other before going to sleep every night had led to much less sleep for her that week. Still, she knew that she had to have some form of caffeine, and seeing that Penelope had texted her to let her know that the team was already on their way home, she also knew that she would have to stop at the café this morning, rather than making her own tea in her office.

Sighing a little, she called ahead to order three London Fogs, along with a breakfast sandwich for herself, before she ran out the door and threw herself into her car. At least her hair had decided to cooperate that morning, and it was a good makeup day, so at least those things were going her way. Thankfully, by the time she arrived at the café, her order was ready, and there wasn't too long a line, as the morning rush had already been and gone. "I threw in a blueberry muffin, too, since it was a little too brown to sell, Erin," her usual barista said, and she gave Kelly a grateful smile as she paid for her drinks, stuffing the change into the tip jar before grabbing the cup holder and bag off the counter and rushing from the shop.

Somehow, she made it into the building only ten minutes late, and rather than head to her office, she made a beeline for the bullpen, her shoulders slumping a little when she saw that Alex was already at her desk. Taking a deep breath, she tried to act calm as she made her way over to the woman's desk, pausing until she looked up at her. "Can I help you?" she asked, a wary tone to her voice.

"I'm late this morning, so I stopped for tea for me and Penelope, and they made an extra. Do you want a London Fog?"

Alex relaxed as she nodded, and Erin pulled out one of the cups, handing it to her. "This is very kind of you, Erin."

"It's nothing, Alex. Now, I have to get up to Penelope's office before I'm late to the first meeting of the morning. I hope that you have a good day." She gave the woman a tiny smile before making her way up the stairs and dropping Penelope's cup off on her desk before hustling down to David's office.

He was on the phone, and she sighed a little as she bustled over to his side, dropping a kiss to his cheek before waving to him. He pointed to his watch before mouthing lunch, and she nodded, holding her thumb and finger to her ear and mouth, watching him nod in response. Giving him a small smile, she then went to her office, giving Helen the blueberry muffin before taking a seat behind her desk and getting prepared for her meeting. As she ate her sandwich, Erin made a few last minute notes and then it was time to head up to the Director's office.

The meeting was just as boring as she thought it would be, though she had tried to get a few words in edgewise with regards to the current budget for the BAU. She had been trying for the last year to see that they were allocated more money, since she knew they were stretched a bit thin in places, but every time she was reminded that they needed to make do with what they had, and if more money was required, perhaps they could look into using the jet less. Erin left the meeting frustrated and craving something more than tea. Glancing at her watch, she saw that she had two choices – meeting David for lunch or heading to a meeting.

Pulling out her phone, she dialed David's office number, waiting for him to pick up as she waited for the elevator to arrive. "Hey, honey, it looks like lunch is not an option today. I, I have to go to a meeting."

"Do you want me to drive you?"

"No, I should be fine. But thank you." She cleared her throat as she stepped into the car, pressing the lobby button. "We're leaving directly at five today, and we're heading to Il Forno. Because I will need to spend some time with you today."

"I will hold you to that." They let out twin breaths, and then he spoke once more. "I love you for this. Because you are stronger than you think you are. And I will pick you up at your office at five today."

"All right, see you in a few hours." She hung up and slipped the phone back into her pocket as the elevator stopped on the sixth floor. She was surprised to see Alex get on the elevator, having not expected to see her at all the rest of the day. As Erin tried to think of an appropriate way to react to this sudden shock, a delivery man with his hat pulled low, knocked her into the wall, and she frowned deeply before drawing herself up to her full height, trying to look at him imperiously. "Excuse you?"

"Erin? Are you okay?" Alex asked as she shuffled around the elevator car to reach her side, putting a buffer between Erin and the delivery man. There was something familiar about his profile, and she frowned as she tried to place where she might have seen him before. "Erin?"

Shaking her head a little, she focused on Alex, rubbing her shoulder absently as she shrugged with her good arm. "I'll be fine, I think. This is just my bad shoulder. Are you going somewhere?"

"To lunch, actually. Everyone else has left already. Did you want to go with me?"

Erin sighed as she shook her head. "If you had asked me any other day than today, I would say yes in a heartbeat. I'm actually on my way to find a meeting. It was a long meeting this morning." She raised her hand to rub at her face, hating the fact that she was visibly trembling.

"I, I understand. And we'll put a raincheck on that lunch. Okay?"

Erin gave her a tiny smile before turning her face away from Alex, feeling like she was close to tears. This is what she had wanted when she had started getting tea for Alex, but everything was happening at entirely the wrong time. She took a few shaky breaths as she struggled to keep from crying, not wanting to appear weak in front of Alex. "If you're home tomorrow, I'll bring us both tea from my café."

"I'd really like that, Erin." Alex's hand brushed against hers, and Erin sucked in a low breath as her fingers fumbled a bit before catching hold of Alex's, squeezing softly twice before letting go and shoving her hands in her jacket pocket. "And I'll drop by food for you, since I don't think you'll have time to eat after your meeting."

Erin slowly turned her head to look into Alex's face. There wasn't an ounce of recrimination or meanness there, and she smiled a tiny bit, hoping Alex would smile back. It took a moment, but it was there on her face for a split second, and suddenly, she felt like maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.


	7. Chapter 7

"Here, drink this while we head out to lunch."

Erin looked up from the report she was going over, seeing Alex holding out a travel mug to her. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she closed her hand around the mug, bringing it to her nose and sniffing a little. "This is rose tea," she said before taking a sip. "Did you make this yourself?"

"Yes. I vaguely remembered that you enjoyed that flavor. Now, come on."

Erin nodded as she closed the file and pushed away from her desk. "I didn't realise that we had a lunch date," she murmured as she slipped into her jacket and followed Alex out the door, giving a warm smile to Helen before hurrying after the woman, wanting to hear her answer.

"You never rescheduled my offer, so I figured that you were waiting for me to offer once more. I get it, you don't know what my motives are, so I had to take the initiative." Erin nodded as she took another sip of tea, relishing the taste of it. "And I thought that it would be a good time for us to talk and work out some of what's between us. I've found that my heart has had a recent thaw."

Erin let out a soft sigh as she nodded, stepping into the elevator and pressing the ground floor button. Alex relaxed against the back wall and sipped from her own travel mug, and Erin wondered if they were drinking the same tea. "And what brought about this change of heart?" she said lowly before taking a long drink of her tea, anxiously awaiting her answer.

"Someone deciding that leaving anonymous cups of tea on my desk was the best way to my heart. I love the loose leaf tea set, by the way. James asked who had given it to me, and he was surprised to hear that I assumed it was you."

"Why? Why not Penelope?"

"She's a sweet woman, but she's close to JJ, not me. Plus, Agent Anderson sings like a bird when you give him the right look." Erin laughed as she shook her head a little.

"I will have to remember that," she said before taking a look at the mug. It was a sweet flower pattern, and she smiled to see it. "So, where are we headed to?"

"Rossi told me a few of your favourite lunch spots, so I know that you'll enjoy whichever place I choose. Unless you have a certain place in mind?"

She didn't want to rock the boat by demanding a certain place, so she shook her head as the elevator came to a stop, and they exited. Alex rested her hand in between her shoulders and Erin welcomed the warm touch guiding her over to her vehicle. This truly was the culmination of everything that she had been working towards for the last three months, and now it was finally happening. "I do hope that you're listening to some different music now," she said as she fastened her seatbelt.

"No, just a different type of rap. But I suppose that I can allow you to choose the music for us this afternoon." Alex gave her a small smile and she nodded as she flipped through the channels on Alex's satellite radio, finally settling on the Broadway station and settling back in her seat. As Alex drove, Erin hummed along to the songs she knew, surprised when Alex joined in on a few. "I have some culture, Erin," she said before turning into parking lot of her favourite lunch spot. "Ah, I knew that would put a smile on your face."

"You have good taste in food, what can I say?" she teased as they went to the door. There wasn't too long a wait, and Erin pulled out her phone as they waited, seeing that she had messages from Penelope and David. Since they were both concerning where she'd gone to, she sent practically the same message back – that she was with Alex, and they were okay. As she put her phone back into her pocket, she felt like there were eyes watching her, and she frowned as she slowly turned her head to the left. There was a delivery man there, his hat pulled down low, but again, she felt like the profile was familiar.

"Erin? We're ready to be seated. What has you so spooked?"

She looked up at Alex and shook her head as they followed the host into the restaurant. Erin made certain to take the chair that faced the entrance, wanting to keep an eye on the delivery man. Erin knew that she was still distracted by the way Alex frowned at her. "I'm sorry, it's not you. The day that I had to go to my meeting, there was a delivery man in the elevator with us. And he was wearing sunglasses, and his hat was pulled low, so it was difficult to see his eyes, but his jawline was so familiar to me. And just now, I saw the same delivery man outside this restaurant, and I feel like I'm paranoid for saying this, but it feels like we're being watched. It doesn't help matters that I know there have been a series of murders that copy cases the BAU, specifically my team, have already solved."

Alex's hand quickly crossed the table to cover hers, and Erin blinked rapidly as she tried to control her tears. "You're not the only one who thinks that she's being watched. I've felt it, too. And so has Spencer. We don't know what's going on, but it has to be something, if there are three of us experiencing the same phenomena. Maybe you should read Rossi into this? Just in case?"

Erin shrugged, shivering a little at the realization that she wasn't being paranoid. "I don't want to bother him about this until I'm certain that I am being followed. Or does that sound completely stupid? I just don't want to be known as the woman who cried wolf, especially when my position is already tenuous, given that I'm barely a year out from my second trip to rehab. Rock bottom really hurts, Lexie."

Her old nickname for Alex slipped out of her lips before she knew it, and then she gasped a little before picking up her menu and staring at it blankly, knowing precisely what she'd order, having been there often enough to have a favourite dish, but needing the buffer to protect her from the look she was just certain was on Alex's face. It had been too soon to act like she was best friends with the woman once more, and that small slip had probably just obliterated any chance at being friends. "Hey, Rin, look at me." She lowered the menu to see that Alex was giving her a tiny smile.

"What?"

"It's okay to call me that. In moderation. Because if Penelope catches wind of it, that is all I will be called, and that is something just for us." The smile widened until Erin returned it, and she sighed a little as she set the menu aside. "I can only imagine the hell you went through, but the more interesting part of your story is the fact that you clawed your way back, with the tender heart you buried under a pile of bureaucratic bullshit on full display once more." Their hands met once more, and Erin squeezed tightly as she nodded. "Now, let's order our food and then we can catch up on what's happened in the last fifteen years of our lives." Erin nodded as she looked up at their server, quickly putting her order in before turning her attention fully to Alex once more, knowing that this lunch might just be the best thing that happened to her in a long time.


	8. Chapter 8

It was Christmas, already, and Erin wasn't prepared for the holiday, or informing David about her follower. That was what she had taken to calling the man, since he'd appeared in the corner of her eye three more times since her lunch with Alex. And now, she was hurriedly trying to finish up her work before heading home for a blessed week off, most of it spent with David and her children. Finally, she sent off the last email she needed to get out before the holiday, and then she was shutting down her system and slipping into her coat before heading out the door.

"Erin! Wait up!"

Turning, she saw Penelope jogging over to her side, a wide smile on her lips, and Erin knew that she was about to be hugged, so she braced herself for the embrace that came moments later. "What can I do for you, Penelope?" she asked as she returned the hug.

"So, I've been asked to come home with you to Rossi's." Erin frowned. "Oh, don't look like that! I'm certain it's nothing bad! It's nearly Christmas, after all! But he was a little vague about the reasons why, and wouldn't elaborate when I pushed for answers. All I know is that I have to ride shotgun with you." She let out a soft sigh as she finally nodded, and then they were getting on the elevator together, riding down to the ground floor.

"How are you getting home?" Erin asked as they reached her car.

"Probably Uber or a cab. Depends on how late it is when we leave."

That we made Erin think that there would be more than just Penelope at David's house, and she pursed her lips as she tried to think about who else might be joining them that evening. "If it's too late, you can just use a guest room, since David has more than enough of them."

Penelope giggled as she fastened her belt. "I don't know if he'll like you just inviting people into his home."

"Well, I don't like being ambushed about things. Not when…"

Her voice trailed off, stopping the rest of her sentence before it could come out, and Penelope reached out to touch her upper arm softly. "When what?"

Erin shook her head a little as she backed out of her space and started for David's home. "Nothing, forget I said anything."

"Is it about the man that's following you and Alex?"

She blanched, suddenly wishing that she had some tea or wine or anything to drink that would ease s the acrid taste of fear that was in her mouth. "What are you talking about?" she finally managed to croak out.

"I'm talking about the fact that neither one of you are telling us the truth, and that it shouldn't have taken Reid slipping up on the phone with me to find out that there's even more hinky shit happening to my team. It was bad enough when it was just some crazy person copying our previous cases. But now that we know that there's also someone stalking almost half of our team? Well, that just sends my overprotective mama bear mode into overdrive. Because I'll be damned if we have another Doyle situation happen to us!"

Erin closed her eyes for a brief moment as she tried to regain control of her emotions. "I think they're the same person, honestly. I've only seen him when there hasn't been a copycat case. And I know, we're not supposed to name unsubs, it limits our thinking, but I can't help but call him the Replicator. I just can't figure out why he'd be interested in the three of us."

"Well, after the holiday, we're going to get together, the four of us and try to figure out just what you three have in common."

Somehow, Erin knew that there would be no arguing with Penelope, so she just nodded as she finished the drive to her partner's home. The porch light was on, the sight soothing her a little as she pulled into the garage. "I want to have a happy holiday, Penelope. I don't want to think about this ugliness," she said as she turned her car off and turned to look at Penelope. "Please, let me have this."

She wasn't surprised when Penelope leaned over to hug her again, the embrace much softer than the previous one. "And while I would love to keep the ugliness away from you, I know that life doesn't always work that way."

Erin nodded against her shoulder, drawing in a shaky breath before releasing the woman and climbing out of the car. The garage door opened, revealing Alex, and Erin smiled to see that there was a mug in her hand. "You made tea for me this time?" she asked, trying to sound light.

"Yeah, I figured that we both needed something warm to wrap our hands around as we talk about the situation. And before you blame me, I wasn't the one who talked."

"I know, it was Spencer who let something slip." Alex nodded as she handed the mug to Erin, and then they were headed into the living room, Penelope at their heels. "So, I guess that you've decided that we need an intervention, David?"

"No, I was thinking that the four of us could enjoy watching _White Christmas_ after we talk about what's been happening to both of you." She sighed as she nodded, knowing that there wouldn't be a way to wriggle out of telling them everything she knew. "Now, if you three want to take a seat on the sofa, I will be right back with snacks."

Erin nodded as she sank down onto the sofa, smiling a little when she was flanked by Alex and Penelope. "Just to let you both know, I cry during that movie, so one of your shoulders will be very wet."

"Eh, I've had worse happen to my shoulder," Penelope said quickly. "Now, before Rossi gets here, what can you tell me about the man that's following you?"

"He's somehow gotten access to a uniform for a delivery company, though I've never seen him with an packages in his hands, or a cart that would bring a larger delivery into a business. Somehow, he knows where we're going to be, as I've seen him in the field." Erin's head whipped around to look at Alex, and the woman shrugged a little. "I knew that would worry you more than necessary, which is why I didn't say anything. I'm sorry."

"And now I'm even more unsettled." Alex reached out with her free hand, and Erin clasped it, holding on tightly as she took a few shallow breaths. "What is happening here?"

"I wish that I knew, Erin. All I know is that we will do anything to protect the three of you." She looked up at David, giving him a small smile that quickly crumbled into a sorrowful look. He took the mug from her hands and set it on the coffee table before kneeling down and cupping her face, stroking her cheekbones with his thumbs. "There is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you, Erin." She nodded as she leaned forward, wrapping her free arm around his back as he hugged her tightly. "I love you," he wished fiercely in her ear, and she knew that she would never grow tired of hearing those words from his lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Erin woke up the next morning to the delicious scent of tea filling the bedroom, and she sat up and stretched, allowing the covers to pool around her waist as she let out a slight groan. "Erin, it's not Rossi."

Gasping a little, she pulled the sheet up to her chest, blushing deeply as her eyes focused on Alex standing in the doorway. "I guess he failed to tell you that we sleep in the buff, huh?"

"That would be correct. I'm going to close the door, and if you want to shimmy into something, then I'll join you on the bed."

"Okay," she whispered as she heard the door close, and then she slipped out of bed and padded over to the armoire and pulling out a silk nightgown and robe, dressing as quickly as she could. "I'm decent now."

Alex chuckled as she turned around to face Erin, a small smile on her lips. "Well, that was quite the Christmas Eve surprise," she said as they went over to the bed together, taking a seat. Alex handed one of the mugs to her, and Erin wrapped her hands around it, sipping slowly to get the taste of stale breath out of her mouth. "You're still so beautiful."

"So are you. It's a wonder that James allowed you to spend the night here, since you should be spending the entire holiday season with him."

Alex blushed a little as she brought her mug to her lips, taking a small sip before looking at Erin. "He was on shift last night, so I would have been going back to an empty home, if I had left after the movies. Thankfully, Rossi has the extra room to put me up. I just wish that Penelope had stayed, since now I feel a little like a third wheel on your holiday."

Erin reached out one hand to gently stroke Alex's shoulder, shaking her head a little. "No, you're welcome here, even if David might say a few things that will make you blush. At least after this, you don't have to worry about me flashing you?" Alex giggled as she nodded her head. "And I'm glad that you did stay, as I hadn't had an opportunity to give you your Christmas present."

"You didn't need to get me anything. After all, you didn't know that we'd be able to talk like this so soon."

She shrugged a little before taking a song sip of tea. "I had faith, honestly. And if we weren't talking now, I would have saved the gift until your birthday. And if that wasn't an option, then it would have been the next Christmas, and so on. I just knew that I had to keep trying, because our friendship meant so much to me, it always has." Her eyes filled with tears, and Erin let them fall, knowing now that Alex wouldn't think them an attempt to manipulate the situation. They both sighed in unison, and Erin scooted back to rest against the headboard, needing the support in that moment. Alex copied her, and she smiled a little as she took another drink.

"There is so much that I regret, you know. We should have tried to reconcile all those years ago, when you held out the first olive branch. I wasn't ready, though."

"Tabitha wasn't supposed to be the baby of the family. That was why I reached out to you, because I wanted all my children to have the opportunity to know their Auntie Alex."

"Erin…"

"I know, it's Christmas, I shouldn't be so depressing. I'm sorry." She began to cry once more, and Alex made a little sound of comfort as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "I wanted another baby, Lexie."

"Oh, Erin, I wanted another one, too. But when your body says no three times, you have to learn to listen to it." Erin nodded as she began to cry a little harder, turning her body so that she was facing Alex more, her arm closing around her waist as she tried to not full on sob. "You know, Rossi is going to be cross with me."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I made his _bella_ Erin cry, and I know that he'll see your eyes and figure everything out."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" she asked before taking a few deep breaths. Sitting up, she finished off her tea and then set the mug aside before delicately swiping her tears away. "I'll head into the bathroom and wash my face, that usually helps take away some of the puffiness. Tell David I'll be down in about five minutes?"

"Of course." Alex gave her a small smile as Erin slipped off the bed, and Erin nodded a little before slipping into the master bathroom, closing the door and taking a look at her reflection. It was quite obvious that she had been crying, and she hoped that her usual trick would work wonders. Running the cold water, she turned to pick up a washcloth and then wetted it completely before pressing it beneath her eyes, counting to one hundred as slowly as she could before rechecking how she looked. She was relieved to see that the swelling had gone down, and Erin tossed the washcloth into the hamper before making her way downstairs, wrapping her robe a little tighter around her body as she went into the kitchen, drawing by the scent of bacon and eggs.

"Alex said that you'd be coming down soon, so I went ahead and started breakfast. If you want to pour the juice, I'll plate everything up." She nodded as she kissed his cheek, going over to the fridge and pulling out the carafe of juice and bringing it over to the island, filling all their glasses before taking a seat in the middle. "Penelope texted me this morning, letting us know that she made it home safely last night."

"Good, I was worried about that, given how late it had gotten." Erin smiled dreamily up at him as he set their plates down before taking a seat next to her. She reached out for his hand, and then for Alex's, feeling the surprise in her clasp. "David always says grace before we eat. I know, you're not a believer, but it's our tradition."

Alex nodded as she tightened her grip a little more around Erin's hand, and then David was saying a short blessing over the food. She waited an extra beat after he had closed with amen before letting go of their hands, wanting to hold on to the feeling of connection with them for just a little longer. Finally, though, she had to let go and start eating, and Erin found herself content to listen to the conversation that Alex and David were carrying out.

"All right, Erin, I'll do dishes, since I know that you'll want to give Alex her present before she goes home to her husband."

She smiled brilliantly at her partner before sliding off the stool and looking at Alex expectantly. The woman nodded and joined her, giving her a gentle smile as they went into the living room. "If you want to take a seat on the sofa, I'll get your gift." Erin didn't look to see if Alex had complied with her order, instead making a beeline for the tree and picking up the box she had lovingly wrapped for her friend. "This is yours now."

Alex cocked her head to one side as she took the box from her hands and then rubbed the velvet ribbon tied around it between her fingers. "Do I open it now?"

"If you'd like. I mean, it is Christmas Eve." Alex smiled as she nodded, undoing the bow before carefully slitting the tape with her fingernails, taking her time with unwrapping the box. Erin watched the delicate play of emotions on Alex's face when she pulled out the antique teapot.

"Erin…"

"You know I was an only child of only children. Which meant that I inherited two sets of china. I'll never be able to use two sets in my lifetime, and Tabby is the only one truly interested in family heirlooms, so I thought it fitting that my friend should have my grandmother's teapot."

"This is too dear."

"No, it's just right. Please, take and use it, and know that you are loved dearly." Alex nodded as she tenderly set the teapot back into the box before setting it onto the coffee table. "I was going to give this to you all those years ago, before I fucked everything up. And now, finally, it's yours." Erin smiled through her tears and then Alex was leaning over to hug her tightly, nodding a little as they sighed in unison.

"Thank you, Erin. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, Alex."


	10. Chapter 10

Erin hurried into the elevator the first day back from their holiday, trying not to acknowledge the fact that she was running extremely late. She hadn't even had time to stop for tea at her coffee shop, and she could feel the need for caffeine crawling beneath her skin. She only hoped that someone had thought to make her tea. Letting out a deep sigh, she slumped against the back of the elevator car, trying to regain her breath as she rode up to the sixth floor. As the doors opened, she saw Alex there, waiting with a mug in her hands.

"Did you and Rossi lose track of time this morning?" she asked as she handed the mug over.

"Honestly? No. David should be here already. He left before I did this morning. I just…"

"You got nervous about being alone in the house?" She nodded as she took a sip from the mug, swallowing slowly. "All right, answer me honestly. Did you see any unfamiliar cars in the area?"

Erin shrugged as they walked over to her office. "I'm not as familiar with the cars that David's neighbors drive. So many of them are unfamiliar to me still. There was a utilities van that was still parked near his driveway this morning as I left, but I can't be certain that they hadn't moved. I don't know, Alex, I think that I'm becoming too paranoid to function."

The woman nodded a little as they made their way past Helen, and Erin waggled her fingers at her assistant before letting herself into her office. As soon as the door was closed, Alex spoke once more. "I don't think that being paranoid in this situation is a bad thing. There is someone stalking our team, copying our previous cases, and if things continue down this road, one of us is going to get seriously hurt."

Erin felt her eyes well up with tears as she looked down into her mug. "Don't make my paranoia sound normal, Lexie. Don't make it seem reasonable."

"I have to, because my own is steadily growing. There are only so many ways that I can stave off that gnawing feeling, you know. I had a picture shoved under my door the day after Christmas. There were no prints, I dusted for them. But it showed us together on Christmas Eve, it showed us hugging on Dave's front porch, and it was really creepy. So we have every right to be paranoid."

Erin licked her lips nervously, suddenly wishing that she had chosen a different profession. But then, that would have meant never meeting the people she loved most in the world, and that thought also saddened her. "Did you give the picture to Penelope?"

"Not yet. I don't want her to overreact, you know? She means well, but there are just some times that it can be a little overwhelming."

"And you've only worked with her for a few months. It's been almost a decade for me, and she can still surprise me with some of the things that come out of her mouth. But, she is great at organization and digging. Before Aaron briefs the next case, we should probably get together with her and figure out where this fits in what she's dug up about our mysterious Replicator."

Alex nodded as she reached out and patted her shoulder in sympathy. "Bring your tea along with you, who knows how long she'll keep us." Erin gave her a shaky smile as she sipped from her cup. Alex opened the door once more and left the office before she did.

"Helen, we have a small issue to take to Ms Garcia. Please hold all my calls until I return."

"Of course, ma'am. And I just need to remind you that there is a two o'clock meeting with the Director and all the SACs, and you're expected to present your budget."

"Shit," she whispered, shaking her head a little. "I don't suppose…"

"That I've collated all the information that you need, along with a few bullet points to bring to their attention about the extra funding that our department needs? I arrived early this morning, figuring that you had spent your holiday promptly forgetting about all that. I don't blame you, I want you to know. There's been so much on your shoulders these last few months. And the madman who's copying your team's cases hasn't let up, either."

"That's the worst thing," Erin said before she let out a soft sigh. "I should be back in about twenty minutes, and then we can go over the budget mockup you created."

"Of course, ma'am."

She smiled at Helen before following Alex out of her office and over to the bullpen. Alex stopped by her desk to pick up the picture, and Erin shivered a little at the very tangible evidence of the fact that they were being stalked that was now in her hands. Somehow, she made it up to Penelope's office without losing her balance or otherwise giving herself away. Alex entered the office without knocking, and Erin tried to smile as Penelope turned around to look at them.

"Is there something wrong?" Penelope asked as she stood, coming over to them.

"Yes. The bastard that's copying our cases is much closer than we first thought." Penelope's brow furrowed as she looked between them, and Alex handed over the photograph. "That was taken Christmas Eve. And we have no way to figure out who took it. I'm hoping that you can work your magic and find out anything that might put us one step closer to nailing this bastard."

"I'll do what I can, but I'm not really a miracle worker."

"I beg to differ, Penelope. You've somehow managed to get us back together, and there was a time I would have sworn that only an act of God could do that." Erin gave her a weak smile before she made her way over to the sofa and sank down onto the seat, cradling her mug close to her chest as she stared at the floor. "Please, do whatever you can to protect my friends."

She heard Alex gasp before the sofa sank beneath the weight of a warm body. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw that her friend had taken a seat next to her, and she shrugged a little as Alex wrapped her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "You are not to talk like that, Erin Strauss. I do not need to hear fatalism drop from your lips, not when I just opened my heart to you once more. And there is no way that I am losing you to the hands of a madman. Do you hear me?"

Erin nodded a little as she set her mug onto the table in front of them, letting her arm come to rest around Alex's waist as she tried to get her sense of equilibrium back. "I hear you, but if it comes down to it, I am willing to make the sacrifice."

"Erin!" This time it was Penelope who objected to her words, and she looked up at the woman, seeing the stark sorrow on her face. "If I have to wrap both of you in bubble wrap until we find this bastard, I will. And I'll get Rossi to help me, which I know that he will. Gladly. Now, let me do my work, and I'll maybe have answers for you today at lunch."

As they got to their feet, Erin wasn't surprised when Penelope came over to her side and wrapped her into a tight hug. "I'm serious, Penelope. Alex before me," she whispered lowly into Penelope's ear, not missing the way her arms tightened around her. "I'll see you at lunchtime." Pulling away, she looked into the younger woman's face, taking in the sad look she was giving her, and knowing that she would most likely be facing a long talking to come lunchtime.


	11. Chapter 11

"Hello?" Erin said groggily as she answered the phone. Narrowing her eyes, she saw that it was quite late, and she turned to see if David had made it home, but his spot was empty, and she let out small yawn as she tried to wake up enough to understand what was going on. "Hello? Who is it?"

"Erin, oh, god, it's so awful."

She could barely make out what Alex was saying to her, she was crying too hard to be plainly understood, and Erin sat up in bed, clutching the sheet close to her chest as she struggled to breathe. "Please, tell me that David is all right," she finally choked out, desperately waiting for Alex's answer.

"He's fine, it wasn't him. It, it was Spencer's girlfriend. Her stalker somehow found her and killed her."

Erin felt sick to her stomach and her own tears began to roll down her cheeks as she finally parsed with Alex was telling her. "My god, was it the Replicator?"

"No, not exactly. There's no way that this woman could have found Maeve were it not for inside information, which means that we need to look closer to home for who is trying to attack us. I don't think that this is the end of things, this was just to show how close the Replicator can get to us. I know, you're probably not wanting a visitor this late at night, but I don't want to go home to an empty bed. James is at a medical conference until next week…"

"I understand. Have David bring you home with him, and we'll take care of you."

"Thank you," Alex whispered before ending the call. Erin let out a deep breath as she pulled her legs tight to her chest. Moments later, another call came through, and she answered just as quickly. "Lexie?"

"No, it's Penelope. I take it that Alex called you already?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to be all right?"

Erin hadn't stopped to think about that, and she felt her breath catch in her throat as she dropped the sheet and slipped from the bed, pulling on her robe before getting her service weapon from the gun safe and making her way downstairs. There didn't appear to be any movement in the driveway, and the motion sensor lights that surrounded the house were currently dark, which told her that there most likely wasn't anyone there, but she still felt a little paranoid. "I'm going into the study to check the security feed, but I think that everything is all right."

"Okay, but are you feeling all right?"

There was another pause as she pondered that question. "No. But Lexie is coming home with David, and we're going to get through it together. I assume that Agents Morgan and Jareau will be taking care of Doctor Reid, since they're closer to him."

"Yeah, and Hotch is coming back here to work with me to try and figure out what happened. I'm looking at a long night ahead."

"You don't have to stay, Penelope."

"But I do. We have to figure out if the Replicator really did have a hand in this, and if he left behind any clues that will help us narrow in on him. We have to get ahead of him before he gets any closer to you. Well, all of you. But it seems like this Replicator has an axe to grind against Reid, Blake, and you specifically. Which is weird, because there's nothing that connects the three of you, besides the BAU. I mean, you and Reid are both in recovery, you and Blake were once quite close, Blake and Reid share a mentor/mentee relationship. There, there's nothing that connects all three of you but the BAU."

"Oh. I didn't…I don't want my past to be an open book to you, Penelope. Please, don't take that the wrong way, but I want to keep some secrets and tell you them at the right time. You, you'll hate me, because I still hate myself for some of what I did."

There was a soft sigh on the other end of the line, and she wondered if Penelope was crying, too. "I will try my best not to judge what I find out, and look at them through the lens I view you in now. But I'm going to have the take the same fine-tooth comb with Blake and Reid, so you won't be alone."

"No, but my past is probably the worst. Do what you have to, Penelope, and it was so nice to have your friendship, even if for such a short time." Erin ended the call before the woman could say another word, slipping the phone into her pocket before drifting into the kitchen and making herself a pot of tea, knowing that she would need the caffeine to stay awake. Once it was ready, she poured out a cup and took a seat at the island, allowing her legs to dangle as she waited for David and Alex to come. Her phone rang a few times, and seeing that it was Penelope each time, she declined the call, not wanting to get any more emotional than she already was.

Finally, she heard the door to the garage open, and she sat up a little straighter, her hands tightening around the mug in fear, even though she knew that it would be her partner and her friend. "Erin, it's us! Are you in the kitchen?"

"Yes, darling!" she called back, trying to relax at the sound of her David's voice. He wasn't the first one to join her, however, that was Alex, and she wrapped her arms around Erin's waist in a tight hug. "You're trembling, Lexie."

"I'm still so terrified," was the harsh whisper in her ear, and she nodded a little before looking up at David, seeing that he looked just as drawn and tired as she felt. "Erin, I don't know what to do. Spencer looked so broken."

She gave a desperate look to David, sighing a little when he pressed his lips to her forehead. "I can only imagine. Penelope has this idea in her head that the Replicator is targeting one of the three of us. She called me right after our call ended, and she's going to search for that needle in a haystack that connects you, me, and Doctor Reid."

As if on cue, her phone rang once more, and Erin set down her mug to finally take the device out of her robe pocket and answer Penelope. "They're home, and we're trying to unwind. I'm sorry, there's only so much I can handle at one time, Penelope."

"I sort of figured that out from the way you didn't answer the last few calls I made. I just wanted to make certain that you were doing all right now. I know, it's a lot for you to take in, and I don't want this to cause you to stumble. I'm nearly always here, and if you feel like you want to drink, I just want you to know that you can call me and I'll talk to you for as long as you need."

"That is so sweet," she managed to say before she cleared her throat. "I will keep that in mind, as I think that you're probably a better person to talk to, since you understand the job I do. But I need to focus on my lover and my Lexie. We will talk more tomorrow?"

"Of course. Give them my love."

"Will do." Erin almost kissed into the phone, forgetting that Penelope wasn't one of her children for a moment. After ending the call, she turned on the stool so that she could look at Alex and David. "Penelope sends her love. And I think that we should head into the living room and make ourselves a little more comfortable. I'll bring in the teapot and cups for us. Somehow, I have the feeling that none of us will be going to sleep for a long time to come." David nodded before leaning in to kiss her gently, disentangling Alex from her so that she could get up and head to the living room where they could more comfortably talk.


	12. Chapter 12

Erin felt a pair of eyes watching her, and she looked up from her monitor to see Alex and Penelope sitting at her desk, mugs of tea in their hands. "Are you both trying to give me a heart attack?" she gasped out as brought her hand to her chest.

"Sorry, but you were so buried in whatever you're working on that I didn't want to interrupt you. I would have thought that the sound of us making tea would have gotten your attention, but it didn't. Here, Alex thought you might like a fresh cup of Earl Grey."

She took the mug that Penelope was holding out, taking a long sip from it before setting the mug aside and looking at the women. "What brings you here?"

"I think that I might have been looking at things from the wrong perspective, Erin. I don't think that Reid is part of this, at all. Reid was an attempt to get at Blake, and that means that you two are the ones in the most danger. I hate to think like that, but I know that I'm on to something. Not what I want to be on to, but now at least we'll have a plan of attack?"

Erin let her eyes slide from Penelope's face to Alex's, and she could read the apprehension there, as if she was afraid that Erin would react poorly. And truthfully, she did want to yell or throw something or hit something. But that would never do, she had to stay in control. So instead, she picked the mug back up and took another long drink from it, trying not to start crying from frustration. "And just what will this plan of attack entail?"

"Constant vigilance!"

Erin chuckled at that, shaking her head a little. "We're not all Mad Eye Moody here, Penelope. Though I am grateful for the momentary levity. It's been three months since anything happened, after all."

"Precisely. While we know that the Replicator is still copying our previous cases, there hasn't been another attack directed against any of us, and that, I believe, is purposeful. He wants us to be lulled into complacency, so that when he does strike at either you or Blake, we're not going to be ready for him. And that hold the possibility that I could lose one of you, and I don't think that I'm ready for that."

Erin nodded a little as she pressed the mug close to her chest, knowing that Penelope did have a point. Still, there wasn't any way to officially put more resources towards the Replicator, since the Director had insisted they not waste any more time or money on a case that didn't seem to have an end. "I don't mean to sound glib or flippant, but I have been desperately trying to act unconcerned about what the prolonged peace has meant. Because I don't want to think about what might happen to me. I want to think about protecting David, protecting Alex. As long as they're okay, I'll be okay."

"You're being fatalistic again."

She sighed as she looked at Penelope, giving her a small shrug. "I only have three things in my life that matter. David, my children, and my dear friends."

"Erin! Stop!"

She hadn't heard that sharpness in Alex's voice since the night of their argument, after she had let her friend take the fall for something that hadn't been entirely her fault. Meeting Penelope's eye, she gestured for her to leave with a sharp flick of her head, grateful when she did so without complaint. Once the door was closed, she turned her full attention to Alex, bracing herself for a haranguing. "What?"

"You cannot make amends with me by sacrificing your life. I won't let you do that. Even if that means we have to put you into WitSec until we find the Replicator."

"We don't have a good track record with WitSec," she whispered.

"I know. But I know that you would also do anything to make certain that you returned to your children, if we had to take that step. Do not make me force that issue, though. Please." Tears sparkled in her eyes, and Erin drew in a shaky breath as she reached across her desk, holding her hand out with her palm up. It only took a second for Alex to clasp it tightly, and she closed her eyes to keep from crying. "We're in a better place now then we were when I started back with the BAU. I don't want that progress to be cut short by some madman who thinks that we have something to pay for. We haven't done anything wrong."

"You might not have."

Alex's hand squeezed sharply, and Erin opened her eyes to stare at Alex once more. Her cheeks were wet, though she didn't appear to be openly crying, and Erin felt like her heart was going to shatter in that moment. "The sins of the past should stay in the past. These last seven months have taught me that. Erin, I know that we won't be as close as we were back then. You have Dave, James and I have worked past that small bump. But I want the opportunity to be a part of your wedding to Dave. I want to see your first grandchild be christened."

"Even though you don't believe?"

"Even though. Because I know how important faith is to you. So, promise me on Dave's life that you will not take any risks in the near future, that you will listen to Hotch if he tells you to lay low, that we will come out on the other side of this terrible case stronger and better."

There was a small beat of silence before she nodded. "I promise, I will not put myself in any unnecessary danger. That I will live so that you can be my matron of honor. If you want that position. Dammit, Lexie…"

"I know," she murmured as she rose to her feet, coming around to Erin's side without letting go of her hand. "You forget, I still remember how your heart works, even after all these years. Things might change, but our hearts usually stay the same. At least that's what they taught us in all our classes in the Academy." Erin nodded as Alex reached up and rubbed her shoulder softly. "A part of me wants to handcuff myself to you, to make certain that you keep your end of the deal, but I know that we would be at each other's throats in an hour."

"Probably. But James would be treated to one of those arguments. Do you remember that one we had in front of Jason and John?"

"I remember Jason pulling you away from me, and the way that you kicked against his shins to get him to release you. We were suspended for what, three days as a result?"

"Yes. That was certainly not my most shining moment. And I think part of it was a direct result of being at work and therefore not being able to react a little more organically."

Alex shook her head a little. "John was convinced that you were about to kill me. I told him that we've fought worse and still made up. If only I had remembered that, maybe things would have been so different. For both of us."

"Maybe. But I think that I needed to walk the path I did, in order to make me grow. Let's face it, I've been a bitch for far too long."

"When did you start drinking?"

Erin had wondered when Alex might ask that question, and she looked away from her as she took two deep breaths. "The day you were fired. I couldn't call my cowardice back, and you bore the brunt of a mistake we all three shared. I should have been the one to fall on that sword, even if it meant that life would have been so different."

"I wonder what happened to John?" Alex asked, clearly trying to turn the subject to something that wouldn't make her quite so sad, and Erin was grateful for her consideration. "I mean, you were easy to keep tabs on, since I knew where to look, but he just fell off the face of the earth."

"You kept tabs on me?" she tried to tease, giving Alex a quick smile, and the woman nodded. "Well, that doesn't make me feel so bad for keeping tabs on you, then. As for John? I have no idea. Perhaps he never wanted to be reminded of what happened, so he moved off the grid. I just wish that there was an opportunity to apologise to him as well. But I suppose that there are some people that I'll never be able to talk to again. I'm just glad that you and I were able to reconnect." A soft blush rose up in her cheeks as Alex nodded, and Erin sighed as she took a long drink of tea, wondering what the future would hold.


	13. Chapter 13

"I brought you a fresh cup of tea," David said as he took a seat next to Erin on the sofa. They were spending a lazy Saturday together, and she was grateful for him being willing to get up and make tea so that she could remain hunched over her laptop. What he didn't know was that she was delving into John Curtis, trying to see if he had made any recent reappearances. There was nothing that she could find, and she felt a little frustrated at that fact. Everyone these days left some sort of digital footprint, and the fact that there was nothing there made her wonder if he had passed at some point. Which was why she was currently searching through death certificates, and still coming up empty.

"Thanks," she murmured offhandedly, taking hold of the handle and sipping from the mug. "You know, you can turn on the television or radio or something. I have to be boring you to death."

"Actually, no. I like watching you work. Your face scrunches up in the cutest way when you're frustrated. But what's making you upset? Do you need Penelope to help you with anything?"

She quickly shook her head as she set her tea on the table next to her, letting her fingers hover over the keyboard. "I wish that she could spare some time to help me, but she's so busy working on your normal case load, along with her work on what the Replicator is currently up to. I mean, I'm not supposed to know that she's doing that, but…"

"Kitten will not let things go, once she's sunk her claws into a situation, she doesn't let go. I remember when I first started back with the BAU, how she dug and dug into why I was heading out on my own, and managed to help me see that we need a team to get things accomplished. I was still accustomed to going it alone, and it still took a while for me to get that through my thick skull."

"Are you trying to imply something?" she asked a bit testily, knowing that she was perhaps giving herself away with that tone.

"Just reminding you that it's very lonesome when you're out there on your own." He leaned over and kissed the side of her head before turning in the television and flipping through the channels until he came to a showing of _Key Largo_. Erin smiled as she scooted a little closer to him, letting her head come to rest against his shoulder as she continued to chip away at her searches.

"I don't think that Penelope can help me with this, because I'm not even certain what it is that I'm looking for?"

"Run it by me, then. Maybe I can help you narrow it down a little bit."

She sighed heavily as she nodded. "You were already gone by the time the Amerithrax case happened, but I'm certain that you know what happened. After all, you were so close to Jason for so many years." He nodded. "Well, Alex wasn't the only one who I screwed over. John Curtis also bore the brunt of the Director's wrath. And it really did not help the situation any that I was promoted the next day, either. Alex might have forgiven me if I hadn't accepted that position. But like I told her, I don't know what my life would be like if we had made different decisions back then."

"Did you…?"

"Sleep with her? Yes. She told James, I never told Alan. He wouldn't have understood, and I knew I couldn't support three young children on just one income. I may have always been a coward."

He slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his chest. "You're not a coward. And from what I remember about your ex-husband, he would have tried to keep you from your children, if you had told him."

"Maybe, but I still feel a little guilty. Though not too much, since I found out during the divorce that he had been having an affair since I was pregnant with Tabitha." David chuckled a little before knocking his shoulder against her. "Now, where I'm having issues with my search is that there is no digital footprint for John. It's like he never existed after 1994. There's no tax return information, there's no death certificate, nothing. I haven't gone searching into DMV records, to see if he's kept current on insurance, but technically, I'm not allowed to access that information."

"Have Kitten do that, then. She can run that request during the next case we're on, and it won't look quite as questionable as you prying into something that you shouldn't access." She nodded before leaning forward and setting the laptop on the coffee table so that she could more easily curl up on his chest. "So, what was it like with Alex?"

Erin laughed as she shook her head. "There is no way that I'll be telling you that, bucko. I may love you with all my heart, but I don't kiss and tell like that. Alan? I have no problem talking about, but what Alex and I shared? No, sorry."

"I sort of figured that would be the answer, but I still had to try." She nodded as she wrapped her arm around his waist, her hand slipping beneath the soft fabric of his shirt to splay out on his skin. "You're still creeped out by the Replicator."

"That would be the understatement of the century. If Penelope is right, and he is targeting Alex and me, that means we're both in such danger. So when you're all out in the field, I find my heart in my throat the entire time. Because you and Alex are so vulnerable out there. In a new environment, where your focus is on something other than your own safety." She pursed her lips a little to keep from crying. "How can I protect you both when you're out there? You carry my heart in your heart, David, and if he were to come after you because of me? I don't know what I would do."

"You would carry on, because you're strong and have three children to look after. Even if Alan got custody of them, due to his relationship with the court. You wouldn't do anything foolish because of them. And you know that I would be watching over you from Heaven, if I lost."

"Do not ever let me hear you talk that way again, David James Rossi!" she said through clenched teeth as she sat up and then straddled his hips. She grabbed hold of his shirt in her hands and pulled him close enough that she could feel his breath wash against her face. "I love you too much to think about losing you." Before he could say another word, she closed the small gap between them to capture his lips in a rough, needy, kiss.

At some point during the embrace, she had started to cry, as she tasted the salt of tears on her lips as he turned her onto her back, deepening the kiss as his hands started to push her blouse up her torso. "And I love you too much to think about losing you. God, Erin, what have we gotten mixed up in?"

"If only I knew," she whispered before helping him pull off her blouse and then kissing him once more, desperately wanting to feel him close to her, knowing that there was a good chance that one of them might not make it through the end of this ordeal alive.

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

"This is when the Director chooses to believe that the Replicator is real and send us all out on the case?" David asked as they loaded up the car with their go bags. Erin gave him a small shrug, making certain that her service weapon was safely secured in her shoulder holster before rubbing at her eyes. "I mean, I know that Hotch loves his brother, but to connect this to the Replicator?"

"It makes sense, David. This is the same mode of death that those poor children in Pennsylvania face. That is too much of a coincidence, especially after you took down the young man who was supplying the MDMA laced alcohol. At least I'm going to be with you, so we can all look out for each other." She leaned over and kissed his cheek softly. "Now, let's get to the airfield before we set the whole mission behind."

David nodded, and they got into the car. Erin curled up on her side to watch him as he drove, trying to will away the feeling of impending doom. She had no idea why she felt that way, but she knew that it had something to do with this case and the fact that she was more than certain that the Replicator was John Curtis, thanks to the information that Penelope had managed to dig up on him. She hadn't told anyone else yet about her suppositions, but if she was right, she knew that she would have to get away from the team and go hunting on her own. One of them was going home in a body bag, and she was not about to let it be her.

She was surprised at how good time David made, and they arrived at the airfield only twenty minutes after Penelope called. Alex was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, two cups in her hands, and she let a tiny smile spread across her face as she got out of the vehicle, shouldering her bag as she made her way to her side. "Please, tell me that is Earl Grey," she said as Alex handed her one of the cups.

"Of course! It's from the loose leaf blend you bought me for my birthday. So, you're coming along on this case, too?"

"Yes. The Director thought, that since it is clearly a Replicator case, that it would be best if I tagged along. I don't know what I can add, but I will try to help out as much as I can." Alex nodded as she reached out to pat her shoulder. "Now, let's get settled on the jet."

Alex gave her a small smile as they climbed the steps, and Erin looked to see that the others were already seated around the table, leaving just one open space there. "Here, we'll sit across the aisle from the rest of the team," she said as she made herself comfortable. "All right, what do we know so far?"

David smiled as he took the last open seat at the table, and she tried not to smile too large in return. She wasn't certain how many of the others knew that they were a couple, and she wanted to keep it close to the vest until the Replicator was found and dealt with. Then she could share her happiness with everyone. "Hotch called Garcia first, to let her know what was going on in New York, and then he called the Director. Which then turned into all of us heading up there, while Baby Girl stays behind and gives us as much information as she can find. It appears that Sean's bar has been serving tainted wine, just like what happened earlier this month. And we still don't know who is behind these attacks. But again, they're attacking one of our own."

"I think that I might have a little insight into that," she found herself saying, knowing that she could no longer keep that secret. "Lexie, I'm sorry, I should have told you before this, but I wanted to be certain…"

"It's John, isn't it?"

She nodded, looking down at her lap. "I've been looking at this case from all angles, and this is the only solution that I can come up with."

"Wait, who's John?"

Erin glanced over at Agent Jareau, seeing the confused look on her face, and she licked her lips a little, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Years ago, Alex, John, and I were working as a team to try and figure out who was mailing anthrax around the country. Alex had a very good, but flawed, reading of the letters that the man was sending, and John corroborated her findings, which led to the wrong person being arrested. It was a horrid situation to be in, and since I was the leader, I was tasked with being the heavy. I had to let them go. John never seemed as angry as Alex, which I understood, given our friendship outside of work. But I guess that his anger was a little more hidden than Alex's. Little pieces have been falling into place, and I think that, if it is John, we're going to have a difficult time tracking him down."

Derek nodded and gave her a troubled smile. "I'll text Penelope and let her know about our new information. Then, you're going to have to inform all of us what else you might know about this John Curtis."

Erin nodded as she tried to prepare herself for telling the others what only she and Alex knew. "We need to have a small conference before we talk about that time, Derek." Erin blinked a few times as Alex reached out for her hand and practically dragged her to the back of the private jet, ensconcing them in the small galley. "What are you going to tell them?"

"Just about John. I would never tell them about what we shared, that's too personal. Well, David guessed that we had been intimate, given that it appeared we were the only two being targeted, until today. I didn't tell him any details, or how long our affair was, and I won't. Because you still matter to me, even if I am deeply in love with David."

The woman relaxed a little as she nodded, her thumb absently stroking Erin's hand as she gazed into her eyes. "I just never thought that things would come to a head like this."

"I didn't either. So, we're going to tell the others only what we need to. And I'm going to take John Curtis down, even if it kills me."

"Erin! Do not talk like that!" The fierce whisper took her aback, and she shrugged a little as she tightened her grip on Alex's hand. "That's it, you are not going to be alone the entire time we're in New York. One of us will always be with you, because you still haven't given up that fatalistic bent of yours. And don't think that I won't tell everyone what is in your head."

Erin blinked a little as she nodded, knowing that Alex was not making an idle threat. And given that David and Penelope both knew that she was acting a little recklessly when it came to the Replicator, she knew that there was no way she could act irresponsibly in their sight. She would just have to wait until she had her moment to slip away, and then make certain that John was no longer a threat to her friends and loved ones.


	15. Chapter 15

"So, theoretically, I'm sharing a room with Hotch, but once everyone is asleep…"

Erin chuckled a little as she set her bag on top of the dresser. "Why do you think I got an extra key to my room, darling?" she said as she slipped it out of her pocket and handed it to him. "Though you are going to have to be quiet, Alex is right next door and her hearing is quite good. Not like Aaron, who I know still has issues with his left ear."

David nodded as he leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. "All right, when you're ready to head to the precinct, meet us down in the lobby. I think that JJ and Reid are already down there, since they never take very long in dropping their bags off."

She gave him a small smile as he left the room, and then let out a deep sigh as her door closed. It was hard to keep up the act of being happy around him, of acting normal, when she was practically crawling out of her skin with the need to track John down. She knew that he was close, she could feel it deep in her bones, and the only thing she could do was sit and simper and wait. She had never done waiting well, and it seemed that her sobriety just exacerbated this tendency in her. Rummaging around in her bag, she pulled out her purse and rifled through it, making certain that her power bank was inside and that her chip was still safely nestled in the little side pocket.

A soft knock on her door caught her attention, and Erin strode over to it, opening it to find Alex standing there, an almost knowing look on her face. "Yes, Alex?" she asked, watching her face carefully.

"I heard Dave leave a few minutes ago. Are you ready to head down?"

Erin gave one last look around her room, frowning a little as she looked at the window. "One second. You'll call me paranoid, but I'm going to doublecheck and make certain that the window is locked." Alex nodded as she leaned against the jamb, and Erin gave her a tight smile before quickly crossing the room and pushing the window down as far as she could before checking to make certain the lock was tight.

"I did the same thing in my room, Erin, so you're not alone." She turned to look at Alex, relaxing a little as she nodded. Making her way back over to Alex's side, she ran her hand down her arm, squeezing her hand softly before heading to the elevator. Alex met her there seconds later, and she let out a contented sigh to feel her hand on her shoulder. "I don't think that we'll have time to stop for tea until we're home. Hopefully, the precinct has something for you to drink, because god knows the coffee is usually terrible."

"Good thing that I've taken to keeping a few sachets in my purse, then, isn't it? And if you're nice to me, I might just share." Erin deliberately kept her tone light and airy, but she could tell by the way Alex's eyes narrowed that her tone didn't math her expressions, and she forced a smile to her lips. "What?"

"You're plotting."

"No, I'm not."

Alex raised an eyebrow as she stared her down, and Erin felt a slight blush start to heat her cheeks. "See, you forget just how much I know you. Admittedly, your body has changed slightly in the intervening years, and so has mine, but again – your heart is essentially the same." She reached out and hit the emergency stop button, and Erin frowned as the woman got into her space. "This is the last time I want to tell you this, but please do not do anything foolish. Please."

Alex's eyes bored into hers, and she tried not to flinch as she licked her lips. "We could take him down together, then. It would be fitting if it were just the two of us, since he's been targeting us specifically."

She shook her head, and Erin let out a deep sigh. "We do this as a team. Every time that Curtis has done something against our team, it's because we were alone or in a pair." Letting out a deep sigh, Alex started the elevator once more, and then took firm hold of her hand. "Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Lexie," she whispered, feeling somewhat ashamed for the lie that she was telling her friend. "Together or not at all."

Alex gave her a firm nod of her head as the doors opened on the lobby, and they stepped out together, Alex almost dragging her along by her hand until they had joined the rest of the team. David gave her a look, and she shrugged the tiniest bit as she shook her hand free from Alex's grip and drifted over to his side. "All right, if we're all here, let's go meet Hotch at the precinct. Alex and Erin will be in my car. Morgan, you can take JJ and Reid. I don't want any of us to be in a group smaller than three for as long as we're here."

She knew that her partner was speaking to her more than the others, and she fought to keep from rolling her eyes. Instead, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow as they followed after the others, allowing Alex to bring up the rear. "Did you talk to Alex about the groups of three rule?" she asked as he opened the car door for her.

"No, I actually talked about that with Hotch, and he agreed with me. There's strength in numbers, and we need that strength for this case."

"So he knows?"

David nodded as Alex climbed in the back of the car. Leaning forward, he kissed her tenderly, and she felt herself tearing up a little as she returned the kiss, wanting to remember the feel of his lips against hers, just in case things went horribly wrong. "I had to tell him, _bella_. He was concerned when Garcia mentioned that she was worried about the toll this case was taking on you and Alex. We all care about you, Erin, and, well, I was going to wait until after we had wrapped this up, but…I want to marry you. I don't have a ring, that can happen when we get home, but I want us to make a commitment to each other, here and now, that we are going to see the other side of this horrible situation and have our dream wedding in my backyard. We both know that it is a damn good place to get married."

She let out a watery laugh as she nodded, knowing that she couldn't refuse so sweet a proposal as that. "Fine, I promise that I will not go it alone, and that I will rely on you both to bring John down with me. And yes, I will marry you when we get home, you'll just have to allow me some time to find the right dress. Lexie?"

"Yes, Erin?" she said as she peeked her head outside the door, giving them both a peaceful smile, as if she was certain that this was going to ensure Erin's safety.

"I want you to stand up with me, when I'm in front of the officiant. And it will be an afternoon wedding, so that we can have a high tea, instead of a heavy dinner. And it will be perfect." David nodded before kissing her once more, and in that moment, Erin felt her heart break for telling the largest lie of her life.


	16. Chapter 16

Erin felt herself flagging as the hour grew later and later without them catching a break or finding out where John might be hiding out. Knowing exactly who was after them was doing little for actually finding him, and she found herself exhausted from the fact that she was still trying to figure out a way to slip outside and go hunting on her own. Finally, though, she knew that she was too tired to do anything, and David caught her yawning once too often.

"Alex, why don't you run Erin back to the hotel? I think that we're all about ready to call it a night, but since we're waiting on Kitten to call us with information, I think we'll be here for a little while longer. Do not leave her side."

She narrowed her eyes at him, listening to Jennifer titter in the background at the look she was giving him. "I'm not a child, David."

Leaning in close, he whispered in her ear. "Exactly. I don't spank children." She tried to swallow the gasp that tore from her lips, but it was too late, and she turned and walked slowly from the room, trying to keep her composure until she and Alex were in the parking lot.

"Wait for me!" the woman called out, and Erin paused on the steps, knowing that Alex would call David if she didn't stay in line. Still, she smiled when Alex took hold of her hand and they walked like that to the car. "So, since we'll be the only ones back at the hotel, do you want to spend some time in my room talking?"

"I'm really tired, Alex. How about you spend time in my room, and then you can leave when I fall asleep?" It was only half a lie, since Erin really did plan on getting a little sleep before waking up and sneaking out of her hotel room to track John down. Still, it seemed like Alex was going to buy it, and she gave her a small nod as she pulled out of the space and drove to the parking lot near their hotel. Erin knew enough not to press her luck by slipping away in that moment, and she waited for Alex to come around to her side, and then they linked arms as they made the short trek back to the hotel. It felt right to have her so close, and Erin knew that she would miss this, if anything did happen to her. "I'll just head to my room, and you can change and come back?"

"No, I think that I'll just hang out in your room while you change in the bathroom. You know how angry Dave would be with me if I let you out of my sight."

"I know, but I just wanted you to be comfortable."

"Erin, I'm in jeans, you're in a skirt. I think that I am most definitely the more comfortable of us." Erin nodded as they stepped into the elevator and her eyes closed heavily as she leaned against the back of the car, feeling every one of her years in her bones. "Here, rest against me, it will be more comfortable." She nodded as she allowed her body to fall gently against Alex's, suddenly grateful for all the progress they had made in reconciliation in the last few months.

"I love you," she breathed out, snaking her arm around the woman's waist as her head came to rest against her shoulder.

"And I love you. It took me so long to get back to this place of tenderness, but I am glad for it." She nodded a little, wondering if she would be able to wake up and sneak out at this point. Somehow, Alex managed to get her over to her room, and Erin fumbled with the key until she was opening the door, letting them in. "All right, go change, and I'll find something on the television for us to veg out to until the rest of the team is back."

She nodded as she rummaged through her bag, frowning a little to see that her clothes were not as neatly arranged as when she had left the room. "Lexie…?" she began, feeling a surge of adrenaline flood through her veins as she reached for her service weapon, turning on her heel to see that John was in her room, one arm around Alex's neck, close to choking her, the other hovering over her thigh and holding a syringe. "Don't do anything stupid, John. You can still come out of this alive."

"And you might be even dumber than I thought. Really, Erin? You think any of us are coming out of this alive? First, I'm going to inject our dear Doctor Blake with my little MDMA cocktail, and then I'm going to watch you try to get an ambulance here in time to save her before I inject you as well. It will be so sweet to watch you both get the comeuppance that you so rightly deserve."

She found her hand trembling a little as she took in the situation, trying to find a clear shot that would take him out before he hurt Alex. It would have to be a head shot, which was difficult in the best of situations. Here, it would be even more difficult, because she would need to shoot him before he had a chance to plunge the syringe into Alex's thigh. And given that it would be an intramuscular shot, that meant that his brutal little cocktail would be entering her bloodstream in fifteen minutes or less. She gave a little shudder at the knowledge that the previous victims had all ingested the cocktail and it had only taken three hours from ingestion until death. Who knew what would happen with a direct shot of it, other than death occurring that much quicker. "Why don't we talk about this? You don't really want to hurt Alex, do you? I'm the one who truly did the most damage, right?"

He gave her a suspicious look, as if he hadn't planned on those words coming from her lips, before giving her a tiny nod. "That's right, you were the person who destroyed my life."

"But you could have gone back into the private sector, like Alex did. She rebuilt her life from the ground up, after I did my level best to ensure that her reputation was ruined. Just like I ruined your reputation. Where did you go? I couldn't find you to make my amends."

"That's right, you and your damn amends. You think that by drying out and going through the Program, that everyone needs to fawn at your feet and offer you universal applause for your struggle. If David knew even half of the crap you pulled, he would leave you in a heartbeat."

A flicker of a smile slipped across her lips when she noticed his agitation meant that his hand was floating away from Alex's thigh, and she used that as her opening, whipping up her gun and getting off a clean shot. The splatter covered Alex's face in blood and bone and gore, but Erin couldn't take time to focus on that when she had to make certain that he was dead. "That, that was amazing," Alex managed to stammer out before she fainted, and Erin dropped to her knees as she pulled out her phone and hurriedly dialed David.

"You need to get here, now," she said, hating the tremble in her voice. "I just shot John, and I think I'm going to pass out." And before he could answer, her vision went dark as she collapsed the rest of the way to the floor.


	17. Chapter 17

A bright light shining in her face brought Erin back to awareness, and she screwed her eyes tightly as she lifted a hand to her face to block the light before slowly cracking them open. "Lexie?" she murmured, her first thoughts immediately turning to her friend. "Where is she?"

"The paramedics are checking her over, Erin." She turned her face to look at David, trying to smile before bursting into sobs. "Curtis still had the syringe of MDMA in his hand. You saved her life."

"I could have shot her, David!" Her wail sounded so out of place in that moment, and she knew that hysteria was taking over her, now that she was awake again. "She could have died!"

"But she didn't, and you're both going to be all right. Now, the police have to ask you a few questions. Do you want to do that now, or after you've been checked out at the hospital? Alex is already giving her statement, seems she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible."

"Then that's what I want, too," she said as she curled into him, breathing in the scent of his aftershave. He nodded and then helped her to her feet. It was an effort to get control of her emotions, and Erin found herself clinging to David, craving after craving crashing against her fragile mental state as she took fast, shallow, breaths. It was only when he was helping her to sit on the bed that she took notice of the fact that Alex was still in the room as well, sitting against the headboard of the bed as she spoke with an officer. They were speaking low enough that Erin couldn't hear what was being said, but she still reached a free hand out to her friend as another officer came up to her and began to ask her pertinent questions.

"This appears to be all in order, and this John Curtis did break into your room, so I don't foresee there being any issue with you returning home, especially since this case is out of our jurisdiction. You did what you had to do to protect your colleague, and if what she's saying is true, you're an expert markswoman." She gave the officer a small smile as she tightened her grip on Alex's hand, watching the officers and paramedics leave.

"All right, since your official statement is in, Erin, what do you want to do next?"

"Curl up in a ball on the bed and sleep for a thousand years?" David chuckled a little as he let go of her hand and stroked her hair lightly. "I know, the others are probably going to want to hear what happened, and I'll need to clear out of this room since it's technically a crime scene, but I don't want to move."

"We could go to my room, Erin. I'm certain that our debriefing can wait until tomorrow when we're on the plane heading home to Quantico. Right, Rossi?"

He looked between the two of them and then focused his gaze on Erin. "I suppose that that would be all right. I'll bring your bag to Alex's room in a few minutes, if you two want to get comfortable?" She gave him a tiny nod before slipping off the bed, reluctantly letting go of Alex's hand so that she could reach up and cup his face before leaning up against him and kissing him desperately, trying to pour out all her love in that one clinch.

"I love you. Give me two weeks to find a dress."

He nodded before kissing her once more, a little more softly this time, and she melted into the embrace, feeling herself fall even more in love with him for that tenderness. "I am going to hold you to that, Erin. Now go, I know that you want to fall asleep."

Erin sighed as she dipped her head down, stepping away from him to follow Alex over to the door. She couldn't help but notice that they both deliberately looked away from the place that John had fallen, trying to ignore the bloodstain on the carpet and wall. Once they were in Alex's room, Erin watched her drift over to the bed and plop down on it. "You look like I feel."

"I feel dirty. They wouldn't allow me to wash him off my body, and it's like I can feel his vileness seeping deeper into my skin the longer it remains there. Do you think that Dave would be all right with you sitting in the bathroom with me while I take a bath? I really don't want to be alone right now."

"If he does, he won't say anything about it. I'm going to use the coffee maker in the room to brew us some tea. I still have some sachets left in my purse, and we need something comforting to drink right now."

Alex nodded a little before falling back on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. Erin felt paralyzed in that moment, not knowing if she should comfort Alex or wait for David to drop off her bag. The soft knock on the door moments later made her decision for her, and she quietly unlocked it before opening the door, giving a small smile to her fiancé as she took her bag and purse from his hands. "Are you two going to be all right?"

"I hope so. We're going to take a bath in a few minutes, and I'm going to try and pamper her a little. Don't worry, our hearts are no longer entwined. I'm yours, and I'm marrying you in two weeks."

He smiled as he took hold of her chin gently, raising her face so that she was looking deep into his eyes. "I know, _bella_. And I know that you need to take care of her tonight. And…Hotch talked to the manager of the hotel, and we're going to spend another night here. We need to decompress a little, and Penelope is already on the train to join us. Seems she wants to take care of you two."

"She has a sweet soul. I love you?"

"And I love you." He kissed her tenderly before pushing her back into the room. "Take care of her, Erin. We'll see each other in the morning."

She nodded as she closed the door, making certain to lock it and slide the chain lock into place. "All right, Lexie, if you want to head into the bathroom, I'll start the tea." Her friend nodded as she slowly rose to her feet, and Erin stroked her arm as she passed her by before she went over to the coffee maker. Dropping her bag onto the floor, Erin grabbed her purse and pulled out the last two sachets of tea in her purse and dropped them into the mugs before grabbing the small pot and making her way into the bathroom to fill it.

Alex was staring at the tub, and Erin set aside the full pot before slinging her arm around the woman's waist. "I suppose that the tea can wait until after your bath. I don't think we're getting much sleep tonight, anyway." Alex nodded a little, allowing Erin to turn her so that they were facing each other. "All right, let's get this blazer off first," she murmured as she hurriedly undid the two buttons holding it closed. Erin tried not to shudder at the gore staining the collar and shoulder area, letting it drop to the floor as her fingers made nimble work of the buttons on her white blouse.

"I'm going to burn those."

"No, we'll just throw them away. All right?" she asked as she pulled the shirt from her arms, letting it join the blazer as she led Alex closer to the toilet, taking a seat before quickly divesting Alex of her jeans. "I'm still in awe of how great your ass looks."

"I thought you were in awe of my chest?"

The close to normal tone of her voice caught Erin by surprise, and she looked up into her face and chuckled at the wry expression there. "That is still amazing, too," she said with a blush as she watched Alex unhook her bra, handing it to her before slipping off her panties and stepping into the tub. "You're still so beautiful, Lexie."

"So are you," she replied as she let her head loll back against the edge of the tub. Erin gave her a small smile as she tugged off her own blouse, not wanting it to get wet while she was helping Alex get clean. "Will you wash my hair? Everything in my body still feels so heavy."

"Of course, Alex," she replied as knelt on the floor and wetted a washcloth, tenderly cleaning the ick from her face and neck before leaning in and pressing her lips to the woman's forehead. "I love you, and I am so glad that I was able to protect you, when it came down to it."

"And I'm glad that you didn't have to lose your life in order to take care of me. Now, what's this about needing to get a dress?"

"We're going to need to get dresses. You're going to be my matron of honor in my wedding in two weeks. I promised him that I would marry him if we all came out of this alive, and we did. Please, say yes."

"As if there ever was another choice." They smiled at each other, and suddenly, Erin knew that everything was finally going to be all right.

* * *


	18. Chapter 18

"Are you ready, Erin?"

She turned away from the mirror to look at Alex, giving her a wobbly smile. "I think that I am. I just feel a little nervous? Now that I have a clearer head, it seems like this is all happening so quickly. I mean, it was just last year that we started this journey."

"Erin, you love him. He loves you. We've survived something that no person should have to go through, and now is the time for happiness. You deserve to be happy." Alex came over to her side and fussed with the comb and veil in her hair, arranging it a little more artfully than Erin had. "And I get to be a part of this special day. You never did tell me, how did you know my favorite tea brand?"

"Penelope. She saw that I truly wanted to make amends with you, and gave me that gentle nudge. She's really good at pulling off miracles." Alex nodded as she pressed a kiss to the side of her head, and Erin let out a little sigh. "All right, here's to becoming the fourth Mrs David Rossi."

Alex laughed a little as she shook her head. "The last Mrs David Rossi." Erin smiled widely as she nodded, brushing a few wrinkles out of her skirt before reaching out for her bouquet. "Why lavender roses?" she asked as they made their way out of the guest room and over to the staircase.

"Well, I was looking into the meaning of flowers, and you know that I've always loved roses, and this color represents love at first sight and a willingness to grow our relationship every day. I added lily of the valley to represent our return to happiness. That isn't too cheesy, is it?" she asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"No. It is perhaps the sweetest thing that I have ever heard. Is that why I have lily of the valley in my bouquet, too?"

She nodded. "I know that you wanted to choose your own flowers for this occasion, and I didn't mind that, because this is my second chance at married happiness. But I wanted to have that small bit of connection there as well."

"Thank you." They shared a soft smile before Erin stopped in front of her son.

"Mom, you look gorgeous!" She shrugged a little as he kissed her cheek softly. "Are you ready to walk down the aisle once more?"

"Yes." She gave one last smile to Alex as she took Aaron's arm, and then the doors to the backyard opened, and she could hear the soft strains of music float into the house. Alex and Aaron started down the makeshift aisle that had been created in the backyard, and as she looked around, Erin was startled to see just how many people had chosen to come out and join them on this special day. "I can't start crying now," she whispered as she blinked rapidly, trying to stem the flow before it started.

And then, the music shifted and Bruce began to lead her down the aisle, towards her soon to be husband. Her eyes misted over as she reached his side, seeing how handsome he looked in his formal suit, his tie matching the color of her bouquet. "Is this angel in front of me my Erin?" he breathed out, and she nodded a little as Bruce tucked her hand into the crook of David's elbow. "How was I so lucky as to fall in love with an angel?"

"I am the lucky one, darling." They turned to face their officiant, and Alex took the bouquet from her hand as the wedding began. The words passed her by in a blur, and she was very grateful for the fact that Doctor Reid had agreed to record the service for them, as if he had known that this would happen. And then, to her surprise, she found herself saying "I do," and then David was cupping her face with his hands as he leaned in and delicately kissed her lips.

"And now, by the power vested in me by the state of Virginia, I present to you Mr and Mrs David Rossi." Their guests clapped as David and Erin regarded them, and she allowed herself to cry openly as they made their way to the porch.

"It shouldn't take too long for the caterers to get the tables set up, and then we can eat. I had them make your favorite." She nodded as she rested her head on his chest, smiling as their guests began to come up to them, milling around as they took flutes of champagne from the servers that had magically seemed to appear from the house, and David handed her a flute. "It's nonalcoholic."

"I sort of figured, since you're so good at taking care of me," she replied, lifting her head so that he would kiss her once more. A little sigh slipped from her lips at the delicate brush of his lips against hers and then she was taking a sip of champagne as she started to talk with Penelope. "I would have included you in some way, but we both decided on a small wedding party, since it wasn't our first time at this rodeo. I hope you don't mind?"

"Erin, you're alive and well. I don't think I could ever be upset about that. Plus, you are a freaking badass! I, I looked at the pictures, and that is a hella difficult shot to make, and you did it under extreme duress. Remind me to never piss you off!"

She giggled a little before taking another sip of wine. "I don't think I could ever shoot you. It would be like shooting a literal kitten, and I could never do that. Besides, I have you to thank for helping me reconcile with Alex. I have my best friend back in my life as a result." She leaned in and wrapped one arm around Penelope, taking care not to spill her drink on her dress.

"You're most welcome, angel face. Oh, it is so nice to know that we won this time, and that we can be at a joyous event like this."

"Nice, huh?" Alex said as she joined them, and Penelope blushed a little as she nodded. "I would say that it's more than nice, that it's an overwhelming miracle that we had no right to have. I should have died that night, but Erin saved me."

"She's rather good at that. She saved me too, in a way," David said as he wrapped his arm around her waist once more, smiling at her deeply. "Now, for the surprise part of our wedding. We're taking three weeks off to spend in France. And since we can't enjoy the wine, we are going to enjoy the cheese and the atmosphere."

"France? Not Italy?" Penelope teased, and he shook his head. "Why?"

"Because France is more romantic. I found this perfect little house to rent in the Loire Valley, and we are going to forget that the rest of the world even exists. And before I forget, because of course I had to do this backwards, I have finally chosen an engagement ring for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, handing it over to her. Erin gasped when she opened the box, revealing a large ruby encircled by diamonds. "Thank you for marrying me. This has made me so happy."

"And I am so happy as well, darling." They kissed softly as she reached out for Alex's hand, knowing that in the end, the need for reconciliation had brought about this large change in her life, and she would not change a thing.


End file.
